Shivamogga
The Deputy Registrar (DR) of Shivamogga Cooperative Societies has ordered an inquiry into the activities of the Shivamogga District Brahmana Mahasabha following complaints of alleged encroachment on government land and misappropriation of funds in the management of a goshala (cow shelter) at Mandenakoppa near Shivamogga.
The inquiry was ordered following complaints by SS Srikanth, a resident of Old Gundappa Shed in Shivamogga, and Vinay SV, a resident of Sogane village near Shivamogga. Both have sent letters to senior officials of the state government, including the Karnataka Chief Secretary and Deputy Commissioner Shivamogga, among others.
Mr. Nagabhushan C. Kalmane, District Registrar and Deputy Registrar of Cooperative Societies, on January 22 issued an order appointing Manjunath S., Superintendent in the office of the Assistant Registrar of Cooperative Societies, Shivamogga Sub-division, as the Inquiry Officer, who has one month to submit his report.
When The Hindu contacted Mr. Kalman, DR, he said that based on the complaints he had received, he had ordered an inquiry into the alleged irregularities and misuse of government funds by the Mahasabha.
Unauthorized occupation
In their letters, the complainants alleged that the Shivamogga Zilla Brahmana Mahasabha has taken over the management of the Surabhi Goshala at Mandenakoppa, which is outside the registered objectivity of the organization.
Since the cow shelter was set up on government land without any lease or formal grant from the revenue department, the complainants alleged that the land grab was unauthorized. The Mahasabha was receiving government assistance from the Department of Animal Husbandry under the Punyakoti Dattu scheme, falsely representing the goshala as a private goshala, although it existed on government land. They further alleged that the Mahasabha collected several crores of rupees from the members and the public and used it for the goshala, which was against the constitution of the Mahasabha.
Response
DR sought answers from the Mahasabha regarding the allegations. In its reply filed in November 2025, the Mahasabha said that the cow shelter has been managed by a trust called Go-raksha Nyasa Samiti since 2005. The Mahasabha took over the management of the shelter under an agreement with the trust in 2020. “We took over the shelter with good intentions and now only nine have not increased and that is not only 2020 cows. to 337,” he claimed The Mahasabha in its reply to DR. The Mahasabha also denied the unauthorized acquisition of government land and said it had obtained permission from the finance ministry authorities.
Query
“However, the DR said in its inquiry order that the Mahasabha did not produce any documents to support its claims. Hence, it ordered an inquiry. It appointed an inquiry officer to verify the ownership of the land where Surabhi Goshala is located.”
The investigating officer will look into allegations of misuse of funds collected from the public and the government for the construction of the goshala. It will review the statements of accounts, audit reports, bank records and income of the Mahasabha for the financial years 2020-21 to 2023-24.
Published – 08 Feb 2026 19:43 IST
